KATHMANDU, May 3: Nepal national cricket team members have been awarded with a cash prize of Rs 500,000 each in an official program held at Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) in Kathmandu on Thursday. The support staff received Rs 200,000 each whereas the head coach was awarded with Rs 300,000. 

Sports Minister Jagat Bahadur Bishwokarma and Member-Secretary of the National Sports Council, Keshav Kumar Bista, honored the players and staffs led by skipper Paras Khadka and coach Jagat Tamata during the function. Khadka thanked the ministry for the accolade and urged the government to help lift the suspension on the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) enforced by International Cricket Council (ICC) three years ago due to lack of transparency and government interference into the affairs of CAN, the apex body of cricket in the country.

The national cricket team was recognized after winning the one-day international (ODI) and T20I series against United Arab Emirates (UAE) in February. Nepal defeated the UAE in the rain-shortened third Twenty20 international cricket match played at the ICC Academy to register first-ever T20I series win by 2-1. Nepal had won the One-Day International (ODI) series against the same opponent. Nepal won both the series in its first-ever full-fledged bilateral series tour.

Vice-captain Gyanendra Malla, player of the T20I series Avinash Bohara, veteran spinner Basanta Regmi, newcomer Bhim Sarki, wicket-keeper batsman Binod Bhandari, former U-19 captain Dipendra Singh Airee, all-rounder Karan KC, left-arm spinner Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, all-rounder Aarif Sheikh, off-spinning batsman Pawan Sarraf, opening batsman Pradeep Airee, youngest batsman to score an ICC recognized ODI half-century Rohit Kumar Poudel, globe-trotting leg-spin star Sandeep Lamichhane, fast bowler Sompal Kami and youngest player ever to score a half-century in T20Is Sandeep Jora were honored with the cash prize.

Similarly, team manager Raman Shiwakoti, physiotherapist Subash Patro, among others, was also awarded in the program.

The government had announced the prize on February 8, days after Nepal’s historic win. The sports minister Bishwokarma stressed on arranging and providing more facilities for players to motivate them to continue the good work in the international stage.

Similarly, the government has also provided Rs 500,000 to the gold medal winner of World Body Building Championship, Maheshwor Maharjan. Nepali champion bodybuilder Maharjan had won the medal in the 10th World Bodybuilding and Physique Championship held in Chiang Mai, Thailand last December. Maharjan won the medal in the male 75 kg category.  

It is the first-ever gold medal for Nepal in bodybuilding with Nanita Maharjan winning the Silver last year in the 9th edition of the same competition held in Mongolia. 

Likewise, the government also provided additional Rs 300,000 to each members of Nepali U-23 Football Team, the gold medal winners of 12th South Asian Games held around three years ago. 
Nepal came back from a goal down to beat India 2-1 in the football tournament final held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in February 2019. 

The regional game's title was Nepal’s first in 23 years since the sixth SAF Games in Bangladesh in 1993. This is the first title won by a Nepali football team after the South Asian Olympic Council made football a U-23 event in the regional games in 2004.
 

 
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